Identifying the Potential and Feasibility of Ultrasonic Welding of Carbon Fiber PEKK Composites
By Welding System Clips and Fuselage Frames
RC Alderliesten – Mentor (TU Delft - Group Alderliesten)
Irene Fernandez Villegas – Mentor (TU Delft - Group Fernandez Villegas)
Marc Koetsier – Mentor (Fokker/GKN Aerospace)
W.J.C. Verhagen – Mentor (TU Delft - Operations & Environment)
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Abstract
Ultrasonic welding (USW) of thermoplastics has been one of the most popular bonding techniques in the plastics industry since the sixties, because it has proven to be fast, reliable, and easy-to-automate, while only requiring a limited capital investment. However, until now, USW of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFRTPCs) has not yet been applied to obtain structural bonds in an industrial setting. Now that the popularity of CFRTPCs is rapidly increasing (e.g. initiation of TAPAS 1 & 2 program) and associated assembly techniques have to be developed, it is time to upscale the USW process. Therefore, the main objective of this research project is to identify the potential and feasibility of USW of CFRTPCs (CF/ PEKK in particular) in an industrial setup by welding demonstrator products. Two have been welded: 1) system clips to a rib of the horizontal stabilizer of the G650, and 2) a fuselage frame to a stiffener of a sl<in panel.